Teresa Ida Porada

She was born in Elizabeth the youngest of seven daughters. Maybe that’s why she was so adaptable. As a young girl she worked for an engineering firm as a secretary. A nice man, John Porada came in and she wasn’t too impressed but he was smitten with her. He persisted plying Teresa with flowers and candy. Eventually she saw what a good catch he was and they married. John worked as a chemical engineer for Parke Davis . The company transferred them to Detroit then back to headquarters in New Jersey. They didn’t have time to get settled and were sent to Italy. Teresa didn’t speak Italian but the children learned the language fast and interpreted for their mother. John spoke several languages and took the opportunity to travel extensively with Teresa . Then the company transferred them to San Antonio, Texas where they became part of the social set in suburbia. Teresa learned to play tennis and bridge and all about opera. That good life lasted nine years then back to New Jersey. Since John traveled and was gone for weeks she took a job as a transcriber with Fireman’s Fund and obtained a real estate license. Lastly they retired to Florida for sixteen years. After four hurricanes they moved back to the safety of New Jersey.

She is survived by two daughters, Karen Sappio (Ron) and Mary Ann Hart, a son John (Lisa) , seven grandchildren and four great grandchildren.

Come celebrate 86 great years Tuesday, May 28, 10 a.m. at Morrow Memorial Methodist Church, 600 Richwood Drive, Maplewood NJ.   Interment to follow at Gates of Heaven Cemetery, East Hanover, NJ and that will be followed by a luncheon.